REVIEWS.

Speech of Viscount Bernard, M.P., on Mr. Ward's motion in the House of Commons, 2nd August, 1843; with Notes, illustrative of the early history of the Church in Ireland; and an Appendix, from O'Halloran, a Roman Catholic historian.

Many of our readers will feel greatly interested, and we trust benefitted also, by the perusal of this Tract, so very opportunely published by the Protestant Association. The veil of forgetfulness has been too long cast over the early history of the Church in Ireland; and the opponents of truth, taking advantage of this, have the more boldly put forward their unfounded assertions, which, supported by their boldness alone, have been often taken, by those, who should have known otherwise, for truth.

Whatever weight the worshippers of antiquity may attach to the rust or repose of ages, is due, not to Popery, but to Protestantism, which was first planted in Ireland, though under a different name; and shall yet flourish there, when all the priestly influence and delusions of the mystic Babylon shall have passed away.

Lord Bernard's observations go to demonstrate from Roman Catholic and other writers, 1st.-"That the church as at this day established in Ireland, is the ancient church of that country, and therefore the legal, rightful, undoubted inheritor of all the privileges and revenues of that ancient church."

papers, are given, shewing that the average income of the clergy, including the property of Deans and Chapters, if equally divided amongst the 2150 clergy, would be only

142 a year each; while Dr. Doyle has stated income of the Roman Catholic clergy of before the House of Lords that the average Kildare and Leighlin amounted to £300 per annum. Yet our legislature has for years past been paring off and melting down the Protestant Church; and now, we are told, it is contemplated to deck the Church of Rome with the spoils.

Lord Bernard then proceeds to pass the following well-merited eulogium on those laborers in that portion of their Lord's vineyard, who have endured so much persecution for the truth's sake, and faithfulness to the Lord Jesus.

"He came gladly forward to bear his humble testimony to the excellence and great worth of the clergy of the Established Church in Ireland. He had known much of learning and worth in England, but never, until he went to reside among the clergy of Ireland, did he know what the true spirit of devotion could do. He had known the Protestant clergy, and had seen their conduct in days of sore trial and affliction, when they were assailed by distress, and when they were deserted by that government, whose duty it was, and whose inclination it ought to have been, to have protected them when they were, from want of means, compelled to withdraw their children from their ordinary schools, when their families were denied not only the comforts to which their station entitled them, but even the necessaries af life were with difficulty obtained. Yet had he never known them to murmur. They had endured without complaining, and were willing to undergo all for the sake of their religion. If the hand of charity was to be extended among the people, either Roman Catholic or Protestant, they were the first to contribute, in more than full proportion to their means. At the bed of sickness, in the house of want, in the maintenance and management of fever hospitals, dispensaries, and every other institution that sought the alleviation of human suffering, there the Protestant clergy were ever found ready and faithful ministers of aid. And if (which he believed was the real charge) their fault was that they had done their duty, and by the The second point to which Lord Ber- discharge of that duty had produced a great nard's observations are directed is, a refuta- effect on the minds of the Roman Catholic tion of the fallacy that the revenues of the population, and that from the feelings so Protestant church in Ireland are exhorbitant excited had sprung up a deep and spreading and enormous. Extracts from writings of agitation of thought; surely this House various persons, and from parliamentary could not surely the country would not

But motives drawn from mere antiquity or expediency, are not those which weigh with Lord Bernard." He supported the Protestant church in Ireland, on other and still higher grounds. He supported it, not only because it was the church of the majority of the people of this United Empire, not only because its establishment and security were solemnly guaranteed by the terms of the Union, and because it was essential to the maintenance of the Union itself; but, above all, because he conscientiously believed that it was an Institution absolutely necessary for the maintenance of true religion, and for the upholding of the civil and religious liberties of all-Roman Catholic as well as Protestant-subjects of the British throne."

blame men, because they had faithfully acquitted themselves of solemn duties-because they had fulfilled the solemn vows they had undertaken."

that if the Church of Ireland, true to her sacred trust, preserved within her bosom the undying flame of scriptural truth, that more than human arm, which had shielded her in the hour of trial and protected her in the time of sorrow, would preserve her amid the fiery furnace of affliction."

After expressing his confidence in the Protestants of England and Her Majesty's government, his lordship concluded by stating, that "He had this higher and more abiding confidence-he had the confidence the whole of this Tract to our readers.

We strongly recommend the perusal of

POETRY.
O'CONNELL.

O'Connell is sorely bested,

His tricks will no longer avail;

Advancing-he looses his head,

Retreating he loses his tail.

[We hear it rumoured that efforts are to be made during the approaching session of Parliament to have a state provision made for the Romish Priesthood. How sadly forgetful must England and Protestants "But the martyrs for truth, while their bodies were blazing, A witness for Christ and his gospel were raising; And though human weakness in sorrow might languish, Though their bodies were writhing in torture and anguish, Yet their souls were rejoicing amid tribulation, Convinced that their deaths would be life to the Nation, And that they would inherit the kingdom of heaven, And wear the bright crown to such conquerors given: Thus, while sorrow and gladness so closely were blended, Their souls to the God of the martyrs ascended.

be of their duty, if they help on, assent, or
even connive at this! To remind them of
what their fathers did, and they ought to do,
we insert the following lines, from "The
Great Reformation."]

"But soon from their ashes a large tree was springing,
Which a refuge and shelter to millions was bringing;
Whose wide roots were deep'ning, and branches extending,
The flock of Christ's fold 'neath its foliage defending,
Who, when faint and outworn with the storms of affliction,
Found under its shade an unceasing protection.

Thus the seed of the church was the life-blood of martyrs;
And blind is the mortal who willingly barters

The blessings which spring forth from Christ, its foundation,
For a creed that's the plague spot and pest of the nation.
"And can we forget-when this vile superstition

Is assuming again a triumphant position,-
When its banner of death o'er our country is waving,
And its fetters the hearts of the weak are enslaving,
As they were ere the faith of the saints and confessors
Had hurled to destruction the pride of oppressors,-
Oh can we forget their heroic devotion,

Or think of their deeds without burning emotion,

As the faggot and torch round their bodies were blazing,

While their lips were the God of their martyrdom praising?

"But the fortress of freedom now nurses the viper

That stung its brave Founders-while its fangs are grown riper;
Yes, England-oh strange!—even England embraces,
Exalts and lifts up to fill trustworthy places,

The despots of Rome, and her honest defiance
Of the powers of darkness, is changed to alliance;
On their towers the watchmen of Žion are sleeping,

And the foes of the truth to the ramparts are creeping,
While our faithlessness adds to the base degradation,
Till we all fight the fight of a new Reformation."

E. H.

INTELLIGENCE.

"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING."-1 Thess. v. 17. CONVERSIONS FROM ROMANISM. On Sunday, the 5th of November, four persons solemnly renounced the errors of Romanism in St. Audoen's Church, Dublin, in the presence of a densely crowded congregation; and were received into communion with the

United Church of England and Ireland. After publicly abjuring the errors of Popery, they signed the renunciation roll in the vestry-room. The Rev. Thomas Scott read the service appointed for that day; and preached on the 8th verse of the 124th Psalm-"Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

City of London Tradesmen and Operative Protestant Association.-A meeting of this Association was held in the Great Room of the Royal British Institution, Finsbury. Mr. Sibley presided. The subject was, "The urgent necessity of Christian Union to counteract the movements of Popery and Puseyism." The meeting was addressed by Mr. R. H. Binden, the Rev. J. Irons, the Rev. W. Duggan, an African by descent, the Rev. J. R. Barber, Mr. Callow, Mr. W. Archer, and Mr. A. V. Allen. The noble and faithful protest against Popery, and the earnest exhortation to use all lawful means to counteract its progress, made by Mr. Duggan,

was listened to with the most intense interest.

The circumstance of an Ethiopianone who had indeed stretched out his hands unto God'-standing up before an audience of British Protestants, and recognizing in the free institutions of England, the source of his own liberty,-beholding in her missionary spirit the instrumentality by which, under God, the land of his fathers was gradually becoming the inheritance of the Redeemer, could not be a source of delight to all Christian minds. Oh may his earnest appeal to British Protestants to be faithful in the maintenance of the liberties they enjoy, never be forgotten.

Marylebone.-The Annual Sermon of the Marylebone Association was preached by the Rev. R. C. Dallas, Rector of Wonston,

Published under

THE PROTESTANT

At F. BAISLER'S

124, Oxford-street;

Hants, on Wednesday evening, Nov. 22, in Fitzroy Chapel (Rev. Dr. Holloway's) Lon-. don-street, Tottenham-court-road.

Lambeth. The Lectures now in course of delivery have been well attended hitherto. There is every probability of this becoming, in a short time, a very flourishing association.

Southwark.-The Southwark Association

(the committee especially) has sustained a loss in the death of one of its most active and devoted members, Mr. Thomas Sturges. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him for his unwearied labours in this and many other good works, and for his deep and unaffected piety, and the amiability of his deportment. Of a delicate constitution, the rupture of a blood-vessel laid him aside from active life; a rapid decline ensued, and he breathed his last, in that happy state of mind and in the prospect of eternal happiness through Jesus Christ, which it is the privilege of the dying Christian only to enjoy. May all the members of the Protestant Operative Association imitate his example.

Lectures.-Arrangements are now being made for the delivery of courses of Lectures (similar to those announced in the last Operative for Lambeth) early in the present year, in the Marylebone, City of London, Tower Hamlets, and Finsbury Associations.

Bridport.-The firm front exhibited by the Protestant Association here to the aggressions of Popery, headed by the Rev. W. P. Bond, the Popish priest of Chideock, has led to the raising the siege.

THE PROTESTANT ALMANACK for 1844 is

published in sheets and in books, embellished with wood-cuts. Among these is a correct view of the interior of the Ladye Chapel, Southwark, the place where the brutal Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, sat in judgment upon many of the faithful servants of Jesus in Mary's reign. It contains much valuable and important information on the Romish question. Price 3d. A liberal allowance will be made to Associations, or to persons taking a dozen and upwards.

SIMPKIN, MARSHALL & Co.

LONDON:

W. DAVY,]

Seven Shillings per Hundred, for Distribution.

[Gilbert-street.

"If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."-Isaiah viii. 20.